Strong's Hebrew: 200. אּוֶּ֫לֶת (ivveleth) -- Folly, foolishness

Strong's Lexicon

ivveleth: Folly, foolishness

Original Word: אִוֶּלֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ivveleth
Pronunciation: iv-VEH-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (iv-veh'-leth)
Definition: Folly, foolishness
Meaning: silliness

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָוִיל (avil), meaning "foolish" or "fool."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G3472 (μωρία, mōria): Foolishness

- G878 (ἀφροσύνη, aphrosynē): Folly, senselessness

Usage: The Hebrew word "ivveleth" refers to folly or foolishness, often characterized by a lack of wisdom, discernment, or moral insight. It is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe actions, thoughts, or behaviors that are contrary to wisdom and understanding. This term is frequently associated with moral and spiritual deficiencies, highlighting the contrast between the wise and the foolish.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite culture, wisdom was highly valued and considered a divine gift. The concept of folly, therefore, was not merely intellectual deficiency but a moral and spiritual failing. The wisdom literature of the Old Testament, particularly the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, often contrasts wisdom with folly, emphasizing the consequences of foolish behavior. In a society where communal living and adherence to God's laws were paramount, folly was seen as a threat to both personal and communal well-being.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as evil
Definition
folly
NASB Translation
folly (17), foolish (1), foolishly (1), foolishness (6).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אִוֶּ֫לֶת₂₅ noun feminine folly. — absolute Proverbs 12:23 +; construct Proverbs 14:8 +; suffix אִוַּלְתִּי Psalm 38:6, etc.; — folly, special product of כְּסִילִים (see כֶּסֶל) Proverbs 12:23 + (12 t.); with מְּתָאִים Proverbs 14:18; with אֱוִלִיים only Proverbs 16:22; Proverbs 27:22 for alliteration. It is bound up in mind of boy, to be removed only by rod of discipline Proverbs 22:15; ׳א personified tears down house built by חַכְמוֺת נָשִׁים Proverbs 14:1; it is contrasted with תְּבוּנָה Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 15:21.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

folly, foolishness

From the same as 'eviyl; silliness -- folly, foolishly(-ness).

see HEBREW 'eviyl

Forms and Transliterations

אִ֭וֶּלֶת אִוֶּ֑לֶת אִוֶּ֖לֶת אִוֶּ֣לֶת אִוֶּ֥לֶת אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃ אִוַּלְתּ֣וֹ אִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ אולת אולת׃ אולתו אולתו׃ אולתי׃ בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ באולתו׃ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת ואולת כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ כאולתו לְאִוַּלְתִּ֑י לאולתי ’iw·wal·tî ’iw·wal·tōw ’iw·we·leṯ ’iwwaltî ’iwwaltōw ’iwweleṯ bə’iwwaltōw ḇə’iwwaltōw bə·’iw·wal·tōw ḇə·’iw·wal·tōw beivvalTo ivvalTi ivvalTo ivVelet kə’iwwaltōw kə·’iw·wal·tōw keivvalTo lə’iwwaltî lə·’iw·wal·tî leivvalTi veivvalTo veivVelet wə’iwweleṯ wə·’iw·we·leṯ

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Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 38:5
HEB: חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃
NAS: [and] fester Because of my folly.
KJV: because of my foolishness.
INT: my wounds because of my folly

Psalm 69:5
HEB: אַתָּ֣ה יָ֭דַעְתָּ לְאִוַּלְתִּ֑י וְ֝אַשְׁמוֹתַ֗י מִמְּךָ֥
NAS: it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs
KJV: thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins
INT: who knows my folly and my wrongs at

Proverbs 5:23
HEB: מוּסָ֑ר וּבְרֹ֖ב אִוַּלְתּ֣וֹ יִשְׁגֶּֽה׃ פ
NAS: And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
KJV: and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
INT: of instruction the greatness of his folly will go

Proverbs 12:23
HEB: כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים יִקְרָ֥א אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: of fools proclaims folly.
KJV: of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
INT: of fools proclaims folly

Proverbs 13:16
HEB: וּ֝כְסִ֗יל יִפְרֹ֥שׂ אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: But a fool displays folly.
KJV: but a fool layeth open [his] folly.
INT: A fool displays folly

Proverbs 14:1
HEB: בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ׃
NAS: her house, But the foolish tears it down
KJV: her house: but the foolish plucketh it down
INT: builds her house the foolish hands tears

Proverbs 14:8
HEB: הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וְאִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים מִרְמָֽה׃
NAS: his way, But the foolishness of fools
KJV: his way: but the folly of fools
INT: understand his way the foolishness of fools is deceit

Proverbs 14:17
HEB: אַ֭פַּיִם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אִוֶּ֑לֶת וְאִ֥ישׁ מְ֝זִמּ֗וֹת
NAS: man acts foolishly, And a man
KJV: dealeth foolishly: and a man
INT: angry acts foolishly man of evil

Proverbs 14:18
HEB: נָחֲל֣וּ פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ
NAS: inherit foolishness, But the sensible
KJV: inherit folly: but the prudent
INT: inherit the naive foolishness the sensible are crowned

Proverbs 14:24
HEB: חֲכָמִ֣ים עָשְׁרָ֑ם אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: is their riches, [But] the folly of fools
KJV: [is] their riches: [but] the foolishness of fools
INT: of the wise is their riches the folly of fools is foolishness

Proverbs 14:24
HEB: אִוֶּ֖לֶת כְּסִילִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: of fools is foolishness.
KJV: of fools [is] folly.
INT: the folly of fools is foolishness

Proverbs 14:29
HEB: ר֝֗וּחַ מֵרִ֥ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: exalts folly.
KJV: of spirit exalteth folly.
INT: of spirit exalts folly

Proverbs 15:2
HEB: כְ֝סִילִ֗ים יַבִּ֥יעַ אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: of fools spouts folly.
KJV: of fools poureth out foolishness.
INT: of fools spouts folly

Proverbs 15:14
HEB: כְ֝סִילִ֗ים יִרְעֶ֥ה אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: of fools feeds on folly.
KJV: of fools feedeth on foolishness.
INT: of fools feeds folly

Proverbs 15:21
HEB: אִ֭וֶּלֶת שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַחֲסַר־
NAS: Folly is joy to him who lacks
KJV: Folly [is] joy
INT: Folly is joy who

Proverbs 16:22
HEB: וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
NAS: of fools is folly.
KJV: of fools [is] folly.
INT: the discipline of fools is folly

Proverbs 17:12
HEB: וְאַל־ כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
NAS: Rather than a fool in his folly.
KJV: rather than a fool in his folly.
INT: Rather A fool his folly

Proverbs 18:13
HEB: בְּטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִוֶּ֥לֶת הִיא־ ל֝֗וֹ
NAS: he hears, It is folly and shame
KJV: before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame
INT: before hears is folly he and shame

Proverbs 19:3
HEB: אִוֶּ֣לֶת אָ֭דָם תְּסַלֵּ֣ף
NAS: The foolishness of man ruins
KJV: The foolishness of man perverteth
INT: the foolishness of man ruins

Proverbs 22:15
HEB: אִ֭וֶּלֶת קְשׁוּרָ֣ה בְלֶב־
NAS: Foolishness is bound up in the heart
KJV: Foolishness [is] bound in the heart
INT: Foolishness is bound the heart

Proverbs 24:9
HEB: זִמַּ֣ת אִוֶּ֣לֶת חַטָּ֑את וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת
NAS: The devising of folly is sin,
KJV: The thought of foolishness [is] sin:
INT: the devising of folly is sin is an abomination

Proverbs 26:4
HEB: תַּ֣עַן כְּ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּֽן־ תִּשְׁוֶה־
NAS: a fool according to his folly, Or
KJV: not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like
INT: answer A fool to his folly Or be like

Proverbs 26:5
HEB: עֲנֵ֣ה כְ֭סִיל כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ יִהְיֶ֖ה
NAS: a fool as his folly [deserves], That he not be wise
KJV: a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise
INT: Answer A fool his folly lest become

Proverbs 26:11
HEB: כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
NAS: Is a fool who repeats his folly.
KJV: [so] a fool returneth to his folly.
INT: fool repeats his folly

Proverbs 27:22
HEB: תָס֥וּר מֵ֝עָלָ֗יו אִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃ פ
NAS: with crushed grain, [Yet] his foolishness will not depart
KJV: with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart
INT: depart and his foolishness